Newsmakers

Published 5:30 am, Sunday, May 6, 2001

Kidman tells her side of split

A pregnant Nicole Kidman begged Tom Cruise not to end their marriage and even urged counseling, but the Hollywood superstar stormed out anyway and she ultimately miscarried the baby they had recently conceived, according to court papers filed by the actress.

In a written response to a Los Angeles Superior Court divorce petition filed in February by Cruise on the grounds of irreconcilable differences, Kidman said she was caught by surprise when Cruise asked for a divorce.

In the court papers, Kidman asserted that the couple remained together past their 10th anniversary -- a point that could be important in divorce proceedings.

After 10 years of marriage under California law, a spouse must pay alimony until the partner remarries.

Cruise's filing said the couple formally split sometime in December -- just before their 10th anniversary.

Lawsuit against Berry settled

A woman who sued actress Halle Berry over an auto accident has agreed to settle the case out of court, attorneys said. Berry, 32, was sued by Hetal Raythatha for negligence after their cars collided at an intersection in February 2000. The lawsuit claimed Berry, who left the accident scene, was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, allegations the actress has denied. Both women were injured. Berry suffered a gash on her forehead that needed stitches and Raythatha suffered a broken wrist. The actress pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene and was ordered to pay $13,500 in fines and to serve 200 hours of community service. Raythatha's attorney, Gloria Allred, and Berry's lawyer Marty Singer said Friday that the suit had been resolved but declined to reveal the terms.

Claims against Johnson dropped

Prosecutors said they will not file criminal charges against actor Don Johnson, who was accused of grabbing a woman and making lewd comments at a San Francisco sushi bar. Johnson's actions "do not warrant a criminal prosecution," the district attorney's office said Friday. The woman, whose name was not released, told police Johnson grabbed her arm as she approached the restaurant bathroom in January and asked if she knew who he was. The woman said he made lewd comments. She said she stumbled in her hurry to return to her table, scraping her knee and elbow. "We said at the start that this was a bogus charge," Johnson spokesman Elliott Mintz said. "Notwithstanding the public humiliation and embarrassment, I believe Don and his family are pleased that this part of the matter is over."

Lack of interest cancels concert

A 3-day rock concert with REO Speedwagon, Kansas, Steppenwolf and others was canceled when fewer than 400 tickets were sold. "Nobody was calling. We couldn't believe it," said Sheila Barr, whose husband Larry was the promoter for the KSLX Rock Fest scheduled for next weekend in Queen Creek, Ariz., a Phoenix suburb. The festival was to have been held at Schnepf Farms, the site of the recent Country Thunder festival for which the Barrs' company also is the sponsor. Country Thunder spokeswoman Melanie Gentz blamed the failure on a slump in the concert industry and inadequate promotion.

The eyes didn't have surgery

Contrary to a tabloid report in Britain, Welsh-born actress Catherine Zeta-Jones has not undergone plastic surgery to enhance her eyes, the star's publicist said. London's Sun tabloid reported in last week's editions that Zeta-Jones, 31, underwent eye-lift surgery in recent weeks in Los Angeles. Zeta-Jones has been repeatedly seen in public and extensively photographed since leaving the United States five weeks ago to go on vacation with her husband, actor Michael Douglas, and their baby son. As recently as 10 days ago, photographers captured her image at the Formula One car race in Barcelona, Spain, and there was no sign of a change in her appearance or of healing from cosmetic surgery, the publicist said.

Republicans hope he'll be back

Just last week, action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger said he had no plans to run for governor of California, but a group of five Republicans won't give up, and they have encouraged him to muscle his way into politics someday. The politicians had breakfast with Schwarzenegger in Beverly Hills on Wednesday and gave the 53-year-old actor's ego a good workout. Political analysts say the star's instant name recognition, good looks and personal fortune could help the GOP big-time. Still, Schwarzenegger has bowed out for now, and the governors didn't argue. "I was going to arm-wrestle him over it, but I decided not to because I need both of mine," Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge joked.